Our Correspondent / Raipur
Election campaign has picked up in 18 Assembly constituencies of Chhattisgarh which are going to polls in the first phase on November 12.
Star campaigners of various parties touring Bastar and Rajnandgaon areas to canvass support for their candidates.
Union minister and senior BJP leaders Ravishankar Prasad, Smriti Irani, Uma Bharti and Ramkripal Yadav addressed public meetings at various places of Bastar division and Rajnandgaon districts.
For the Congress, former Union minister and tribal leader Arvind Netam is visiting various districts of Bastar division. Out of the 18 constituencies, 12 are in Bastar division and Six are in Rajnandgaon district.
Most of these constituencies are affected by left-wing extremism.
Both major parties, BJP and Congress are eying on the 12 seats of tribal-dominated Bastar division, as they always played a crucial role in the formation of the government in the state.